Former Chinese mining boss on trial for murder

Liu Han, former chairman of Hanlong Mining, is facing charges from murder to extortion

Reuters

A former Chinese mining magnate has gone on trial for charges including murder after being accused of leading a gang on a crime spree spanning two decades.

Liu Han, the former chairman of unlisted Hanlong Group and once ranked the 230th richest person in China, faced trial in central Hubei province along with the other members of his "mafia-style" gang, state news agency Xinhua said.

Liu is facing charges ranging from murder to gun-running and extortion for crimes carried out in south-western Sichuan province.

His gang was responsible for nine murders, Xinhua said, without giving details.

Sources say Liu was also a business partner of Zhou Bin, the eldest son of Zhou Yongkang, who is at the centre of China's biggest corruption scandal in more than 60 years.

Liu is a major stakeholder in some Australian companies and once launched a failed billion dollar takeover bid for Perth-based Sundance Resources.

It's believed authorities have seized assets worth at least $US14.5 billion (90 billion yuan) from family members and associates of the elder Zhou.

Liu is among more than 300 associates and family members of Zhou who have been arrested, detained or questioned in recent months as part of the investigation.

Prosecutors say Liu and his younger brother Liu Yong - also known as Liu Wei - set up a gang in 1993, along with 34 others, and "carried out a vast number of criminal activities".

"The ring, allegedly led by former mining tycoon Liu Han and his brother Liu Wei in southwest China's Sichuan province, is the largest mafia-style criminal group under trial in recent years in the country," Xinhua said.

The probe into Liu marks one of the highest-profile cases against a private businessman since Chinese President Xi Jinping took power last year, vowing to crack down on corruption.

Liu founded Hanlong Group, a conglomerate spanning solar energy to real estate and infrastructure, in 1997.

Military officer charged

Meanwhile, China has charged former senior army officer Gu Junshan with corruption.

It's likely to be the country's worst military scandal since a vice admiral was jailed for life for embezzlement in 2006.

In a renewed anti-corruption campaign, President Xi has vowed to go after both powerful "tigers" and lowly "flies", warning that the issue is so severe it threatens the ruling Communist Party's survival.

Gu has been charged with corruption, taking bribes, misuse of public funds and abuse of power, Xinhua says.

He will be tried by a military court.

Sources with ties to the leadership or military say Gu also sold military positions.